Shadows & Lights
by Brad C
Summary: COMPLETE - Sometimes a person we know and trust would turn their back on those they truly care about... [Aya x Yuki - One Shot - Weiss Side B]


Another snowy day in New York...  
  
The air had been cold and stiff for days... but there was temporary tranquility.  
  
Silence filled the icy air...  
  
...But several months ago was a different story, there was no was peace and serenity, but bloodshed of both loved ones and with an involvement of a mysterious group of organization. Orphan, a specialized organization that was made for street kids, it was a place where he belonged. The young boy had light hazel eyes; often seen him wearing mid-size glasses that angled slightly off the corner and he had fair amount of chin-length of black hair, which curved around his head. He could almost be mistaken, as a young female, although with his cool-humble charms could give him away easily, much like the younger version of his energetic teammate Ken Hidaka.  
  
The boyish brunette wore a denim jacket over top of his low-neck wooly white sweater, however the sweater seemed to a bit too big for a boy his size and with a pair of matching denim jeans that covered his one and half inch of platforms. He casually walked down the path with his boots crunching underneath the snow, while holding a small bouquet of flowers in both palms of his hand. The young brunette walked till he entered the park of cemeteries filled with undisturbed graves, and where he then treaded along a small path until he reached upon two limestone's that had been imprinted with elegant and curvy letterings: Alison and Akagawa.   
  
The kid took out the crinkle up picture from his back pocket after he had rested the flower onto the graves. He always had the family picture-like with Alison, Akagawa and him being happily together. The picture was indeed valuable because Alison was there and as well as Akagawa, but that was long ago when the picture was taken. Every now and then, Alison would always pulled them together for a big group hug whether it was with just Akagawa and him, or with the rest of the fellow members. The memories crept within him the more he thought about those times when all three of them were together, but they had just come and gone because Alison was no longer there to see him grow up anymore and what person he would become.  
  
Alison, who was one the spunky leader of Orphan and she had quite of some of leadership skills. Alison was the one who took him in and gave him a home. She was very passionate, caring always very cheerful. She had always been by his side and treating him as part of the family, as if he was her own sibling along side with Akagawa. Often times, she would be giving out orders to the members, just make sure they knew what they were doing and avoid them out of trouble. Although sometimes she would scold at the members for being idiots when they did something slightly wrong, but always followed by a warm embrace from time to time.   
  
And then there is Akwagawa who was also leader of Orphan, or once was...   
  
He was casual and carefree, and often found puffing away on cigarette. Akagawa would helped Alison with organizing and planning in what they needed to do to keep themselves out of danger. He was also the man who found him on the streets and gave him his name - Yuki. Akagawa had said he named him "Yuki." Akagawa said the name represent as "quiet and good" and how it would remind him how far Japan was. However, before his death... Akagawa indeed cared about Yuki as well, but there was much more to it than that.   
  
"I thought... I might find you here..."   
  
A familiar tone of voice called out from behind as he walks slowly towards the grave, where the boy had been standing for hours. He wore a casual white trench coat, a halfway unbuttoned black-bloused that was loosely tucked in his slimmed pair of khaki jeans. "Aya..." He said surprisingly with slight glint of sparkles in his eyes and that he was happy to see the tall redheaded figure, and the sincere look from his violet eyes he had always gave him since they've met. "Where you... expecting someone... else?" Aya almost smiled. Yuki turned and shook his head with a slight grin plastered on his childish face.  
  
The young brunette sighed.   
  
The redhead solemnly exchanged looks with the young brunette. He then beginned to explain about his brief travels. "... Mihirogi said... you would be back here for the last time..." he said with an apologizing tone, knowing Yuki may not want to be around his presences, even though what they have been through in the past during their brief moments of separation. Aya figured it was the best for him until things were settled. "I guess... She sort of gave away the places and coordinates in where you might be..." he laughed nervously.  
  
Yuki blinked with surprised. "You came all this way... just to find me...?".  
  
"Only for your safety..." Aya simply answered.  
  
"Safety...?"  
  
Aya nodded, "Mihirogi mentioned... that she did not want to lose any members... nor do I," a genuine smile curved his lips. He remembered those times, when had seen Yuki had been in great deal of danger because of the enigmatic group they've both encountered numerous of times in the dark urban alleys. Aya would constantly tell him to leave, but the young boy would always somehow stayed behind for the action.  
  
The past several months had been a whole new experience for Aya from New York, and then ended up being somewhere in Britain. He was also part of a different group of assassins as well whom named themselves, Kripton Brand, that was somewhat similar to his old group. Although, exception of a couple of new faces within the group with quite some questionable personalities and faces. Of course, it was certainly a plus, being able to see an old friend again... who somehow managed to find out where he had been located all this time.  
  
It couldn't have been fate?  
  
On the other hand, he wouldn't have been able meet Yuki in the first place, if Orphan had not found him horribly injured on the streets. Now, Yuki had also become part of Kripton Brand, which it didn't mattered much since now he was in good hands and as well as being part of a new team. Perhaps that they were not much of a family, but it was good start for his unknown future ahead.  
  
The youngster's heart was enlightened. "But you didn't have to come all this way...."   
  
Aya could simply reply with light-hearted smile.   
  
It certainly one of the thing he wanted to do to make up for what he did, since the day he left the youngster behind and left the youngster isolated by himself. However, he did not feel regretful for what he had done, but rather being left, and replaced with an incomprehensive feeling for the boy.  
  
Yuki realized how much the redhead leader had been there for him, through the thick and thin because of those couple months when a he and a few Orphan members had almost crossed the line of jeopardizing the group. Those time which he needed, the help most and there was no one to turn to because he couldn't do much when his friends were either kidnapped, slaughtered or placed them into danger of some sort. Aya had always somehow been there at the right times, when there was no one else to hear his cries for help. Indeed those were days, even though they were not as great as they seemed to be but the redhead had always been there, guiding him and made him much stronger person that he is now.  
  
Yuki lowered his head till he could almost see the end of his boots. He concentrated on nothing else but the two graves he stood upon, "Alison didn't deserved to die," he mumbled as he remembers Alison from that day, when she had sacrificed her life for him. He could have been the one to take the three shots of bullets that Akagawa fired from his handgun, but instead Alison saved him. Yuki could feel the sting in his eyes as droplets of water began to flow down his cheeks; he took off his spectacles and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand. He knew had to be tough for his own sake and for Alison who raised him for who he is.  
  
"I know..." Aya assured him, placing his hand on kid's shoulder.   
  
"... She deeply cares about you... even after Akagawa's betrayal...."   
  
"But what about Akagawa...?" The boy thought about the pain Alison went through.   
  
Akagawa had changed, but he had changed for neither benefits both good or bad. Even though there was good in him if he had not given Yuki his name in the first place or entrusted the boy with his weapon he once possessed...  
  
There was a long pause came between them.  
  
Aya could feel the tension in the young boy's voice. Yuki had left nothing left, but anger, sadness and the feeling of betrayal. He couldn't blame the kid in what he had been through, and what he had seen with his own two eyes. Aya had sympathy for young brunette because he was still young and there was much more for him to encounter from and learn from a boy his age.   
  
Yuki sobbed silently. "...He killed her... He betrayed Alison..."   
  
"We've been through this together... but you must understand..." The redhead answered reasonably. "Perhaps... Akagawa didn't think about the consequences at that time...?" The both shared the same memories from that day, when Yuki had vowed to kill Akagawa for what he did. Although, the ex-Weiss redhead had helped revenged for the young fellow, from the man who murdered Alison on behave of the given words from the young brunette. Yuki quietly thought to himself. He had often see Alison and Akagawa endlessly, closely side by side since the day he was brought into their beloved group.  
  
"Akagawa loved her... even if it meant hurting Alison..." he finished.   
  
If Akagawa hadn't double-crossed Alison, it wouldn't have made much of a difference.   
  
"Yes... But, I still don't understand..." Yuki said looking a bit confused.  
  
"Right now you are still young, Yuki... Maybe when the time comes...." Aya said in an affirmable, promising tone. He'd hope the boy would somehow get the picture.   
  
However, Akagawa had his own reasons because he everything he did was for Alison. Even if it meant for working with another group of organization that he had thought it would have made things better. Akagawa was an arrogant, and a selfish bastard. Everything he did benefit himself without realizing the decisions he made, he even would leave poor children to their agonizing deaths. He also loved Alison; he wanted her for himself, that his feelings for her could not be placed into words. In the end, it had all became a game of distrust to deceive of one another.  
  
The young boy looked into eyes of the older man before him with many questions swimming in his mind, however, it seemed that some things were just better left unanswered. Aya knelt down beside the childish boy with an honest and a small curved smile on his face, "Shall we go...?" he gently took Yuki's hand, and patiently waited for his response. He figured the young calm brunette had been here long enough and certainly needed some time to move on and strip away his former self.   
  
Yuki nodded agreeably. 


End file.
